The Third Imperial Civil War, also known as the Imperial Reformation, was a prolonged internecine conflict that sundered EmperorVodo Bonias's Galactic Empire circa Year 6. The conflict began as a protest movement by various Imperial personnel against the incompetent administration of the Bonias' Chief of Staff, Grand Moff Daelin Zerk, but quickly spread to become a popular revolt against Emperor Vodo Bonias himself due to his reluctance to address internal problems within the Empire.

Contents

History

Origins

During Year 6, the second year of the second reign of Emperor Vodo Bonias, the Galactic Empire was plagued by a series of successive failures each more embarrassing than the last. In that troubled year, Imperials saw the assassination of Grand Moff Kirov Qel-Droma by Major Jacen Boshuu, the loss of the New Anzat Order as a vassal state, and the continuous defection of Imperial Army personnel to the rebels. Asynchronously, a crewman in the Imperial Navy murdered his commanding officer by piloting their ship into a sun. As other Imperials defected, chaos ensued. Even more troubling than the spate of losses was the lack of any effective response to them. The lower echelons of the Galactic Empire grew increasingly concerned for the future of their beloved government. Much of this concern centered around the ineffectual reign of Grand Moff Daelin Zerk, the Imperial Chief of Staff. Zerk, an acerbic bureaucrat devoid of charisma and leadership ability, was a personal favorite of EmperorVodo Bonias who had arranged for Zerk's speedy ascendance to the highest levels of Imperial power.

While serving as Grand Moff, Zerk had alienated many subordinates under his command which — given his high position and Vodo's predilection to defer to the Grand Moff — was nearly everyone in the Imperial services. Field commanders found themselves unable to conduct their operations without interference by Zerk. In many cases, Zerk's unwanted intervention resulted in the failure of the operations. Worse still, even the most routine operations required Zerk's personal approval. A simple transport request required the authorization of Zerk and the Command Staff; thus, Imperial recruits waited months to be mustered into active duty. These factors, and many others, were causing unrest among the Imperial enlisted ranks which would soon boil over. Officers from all branches and all levels petitioned the Emperor to take action. Their pleas fell on deaf ears as Bonias continued to take no action. After repeated grievances failed to be addressed, a small cadre of Imperials knew they must take action to preserve the Empire.

New Imperial Order

While the Galactic Empire was turned into a hollow shell of its former self, many new and talented enlisted and officers joined and put for effort, often unrecognized by the unwholesome leadership in the command levels of the Empire. On Year 6 Day 303, a group of officers and enlisted held a secret meeting to discuss the course of the Empire. They came to the conclusion that the Empire could not prosper under Vodo. That same day, they pledged their lives and treasure to the restoration to overthrow him. The reformers seized control of an Imperial Holonet transceiver and broadcast the group's mission: to remove Vodo from the throne and appoint an Emperor worthy of the vast government he would rule. Across the galaxy, believers in the New Order, both within the Empire and without, rallied to the cause. The group was immediately fortified with volunteers eager to restore the New Order to the glory of years past. In addition to the scores of able-bodied persons that rushed to fill the group's lines, people across the galaxy contributed assets to ensure the success of the mission.

On Year 6 Day 303, Emperor Vodo Bonias of the Galactic Empire issued arrest warrants for the so-called "Imperial reformists." In each case, the charges were the same: "Defection, Mutiny, Treason." Asynchronously, Emperor Bonias had dispatched several "death squads" to arrest the reformists. Lacking transportation, many reformists in the Imperial Army were captured; a minority survived by sheer luck. Other Imperial servicemen fought their way off their ships, but many were thwarted and caught. The possibility of a peaceful resolution quickly disappeared. Ten days after the initial broadcast, the reformers formed a group of their own, the New Imperial Order (NIO), and selected Garen Karrade as its Steward.

All that remained was to find the backing necessary to ensure the proper growth and success a movement such as this needed. Businessman Jim Stratus donated a large portion of his personal wealth, but even more was needed. The New Order was not entirely without means however, and so it turned to the Kiner Corporation. With the technical help and financial support of Corellian Engineering Corporation, the revolution was truly able to begin and the New Imperial Order was able to prop itself up on the advanced infrastructure and assets selflessly donated to the NIO by KinerCorp.

Aftermath

It would not be long after the Order was formed that it would be baptized by fire. Two of the Order's founding members, Admiral Slicer and Captain Pangborn were quickly co-opted by the Emperor and betrayed their comrades, fleeing back to the Vodo-controlled Empire. In a heartening show of solidarity, the loyal members of the Order turned their backs on the traitors, allowing Slicer and Pangborn to slink back to the Vodoists with only a hand full of officers more concerned with their careers than the future of the Empire. However, for all their perfidy, several resolute officers remained including Commodore Rawius Titan and Lieutenant Guinar Ndengin as well as dozens of enlisted faithful.

The betrayal of a few did not stop or even slow the resurgent Order. Former members of the initial birth of the New Order were contacted and were quick to offer their support and expertise. Thomas Cherokee, former Executor to Emperors Connel and Mccarthur; Seele, former Director of Imperial Intelligence under Emperor Charon; former Imperial Admiral Jim Stratus; and Charon's Imperial Advisor Sesor Yrelnana were among those who answered the call to bolster and guide the New Imperial Order.

The hardships of the Order's infancy could not dampen its members' spirit or weaken their resolve. With the new year, Garen Karrade retired from his post as Steward, entrusting authority over the Order to Executor Thomas Cherokee. The betrayal of Slicer and Pangborn would not be the last test the NIO would face. As the fledgling order took its first steps toward establishing itself in the galaxy, its territorial integrity was challenged. The Eidola Pirates, seeking a base in the Bothan Sector, attempted to establish themselves on the planet of Dressel, right in the New Imperial Order's backyard. The NIO military sprung to action, fending off botched contracted construction crews on Dressel while preventing Eidola from taking the planet in a campaign that is being fought still today, all while fending off the Vodoists' attempts to kidnap and murder Order members.

On Year 10 Day 160, the New Imperial Order and Galactic Empire reunified. Thomas Cherokee, the leader of the New Imperial Order, was appointed as Executor, a position that had been vacant since the resignation of Arturus Goth. During the subsequent Fourth Imperial Civil War, Grand Moff Orphaea Imperium would lead a coup d'etat against Bonias and Cherokee ascended the Imperial throne as Emperor.

Reformists

The Third Imperial Civil War resulted in a mass exodus of experienced personnel who identified themselves as "Imperial reformists." Many of these reformists later joined the separatist movement known as the New Imperial Order commanded by Garen Karrade and Thomas Cherokee. Other reformists, however, dispersed across the galaxy and joined a diverse array of organizations such as the Corporate Sector Authority and the New Anzat Order. The following list is an incomplete roster of the reformists.